This invention relates generally to cellular phone systems, and more particularly to a system that employs an outgoing message selection system.
Due to the rapid advances that have been made in wireless communication technology, and the resulting increased affordability of this technology, the use of cellular phones has increased dramatically in recent years. Because cellular service is so affordable, more and more people rely on their cellular phones to remain in touch with their jobs, customers, family, friends, etc at all times of the day. Thus, it is very common for a cellular phone user to carry their cellular phone with them at all times, so as to be reached whenever and wherever they may be.
However, while it may be desirable to carry a cellular phone at all times, there are many situations when it is inappropriate to carry on a conversation. For instance, when a person attends a Broadway show or works in a library, it is inappropriate to speak to a caller, since people in these settings are expected to remain silent. Similarly, when a lawyer is in court, it would be disruptive to the proceeding if she were to speak to a caller on her cellular phone. Likewise for a participant in a conference or meeting.
Just as there are situations when it is inappropriate to hold a conversation on a cellular phone, there are also situations when it is imperative not to do so. For instance, in a military setting, xe2x80x9cradio silencexe2x80x9d may be required to be maintained in order to insure the safety of a soldier, or to prevent the interception of radio transmissions by others.
Previously, a cellular phone user had several options to prevent the potentially embarrassing (or dangerous) need to answer a cellular phone call which arrives at a time when the cellular phone user can not appropriately carry on a conversation. The first option is to turn the cellular phone off. Of course, by doing this, the cellular phone user is no longer in touch with the people that need to reach her.
In order to eliminate the need to shut off the phone, some cellular phone service providers have messaging services in which, if a cellular phone is turned off when a call is transmitted, the caller can leave a message. The service provider then informs the cellular phone user when she next turns the cell phone back on that a message has been left for her while her phone was off. Unfortunately, although the cellular phone user eventually receives the message, the call may have been an emergency and the message may be delivered undesirably late.
Another option is to set the cellular phone to a silent ring mode. In this case, instead of ringing, the phone vibrates or lights up when an incoming call is received. However, even though the cell phone user is aware that a call is incoming, the user can not answer the call without speaking and interrupting the activity around her.
In order to prevent the disruption caused by cellular phone calls, some facilities, such as concert halls, have transmission jamming systems that prevent calls from being made or received to a cellular phone located within the facility. Unfortunately, these systems are controversial in that all incoming and outgoing calls are jammed, regardless of the content of the calls. In addition to first amendment xe2x80x9cfree speechxe2x80x9d problems raised by this practice, there are also liability issues, such as if the system prevents the making or receiving of emergency phone calls from or to a person in the facility.
Several patents exist which address the problem of communicating when a one of the communicating parties is unable to speak. For instance, one prior art patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,636 to Bannister (hereinafter xe2x80x9cBannisterxe2x80x9d), which discloses a method and apparatus for providing user-controlled call management services. Specifically, Bannister discloses a call-on-hold feature. According to this feature, when an incoming call is received at a subscriber""s terminal, the subscriber puts the call on hold by pressing a terminal function key. A message is then offered to the calling party such as xe2x80x9cplease wait and your call will be answered shortlyxe2x80x9d. Once the subscriber has moved to a more suitable location to answer the call, the subscriber can then connect to the incoming call by pressing another terminal function key. Unfortunately, the feature disclosed by this patent requires the subscriber to move to another location, which, in addition to being an inconvenience to the subscriber, may also be disruptive to others in the vicinity.
Another patent that relates to this problem is U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,420 to Little (hereinafter xe2x80x9cLittlexe2x80x9d), which discloses an audio/telephone communication system for people who are verbally handicapped. The system discloses a matrix of touch-sensitive contacts carrying an overlay of symbols representing spoken messages. During the course of a telephone call, a verbally handicapped person communicates by pressing the touch-sensitive contact corresponding to the message desired to be transmitted to the other party. Unfortunately, the features disclosed by this patent requires the user to have a touch sensitive matrix and a computer specifically configured and adapted for the task. In addition, the verbally handicapped person is limited to the responses represented by symbols, whereby a message that does not have a corresponding symbol can not be transmitted.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method which allows a cellular phone user to communicate with a caller when the user is unable to speak aloud.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention relates to a system and method which allows a cellular phone user to communicate with a caller when the user is unable to speak aloud. The method comprising the steps of establishing a wireless communication link between a wireless terminal user and a second party and selectively activating at the wireless terminal the transmission of at least one audible message for receipt by the second party, wherein the audible message is responsive to a message transmitted by the second party. The audible message may be selected by the wireless terminal user from a plurality of audible messages, such as a personalized message pre-recorded by the wireless terminal user. According to other embodiments of the invention, the wireless communication link may be initiated by either the second party or by the wireless terminal user.
Preferably, the activating step further comprises activating a terminal function key, such as by pressing a key on the wireless terminal""s keypad or by selecting a menu item from a display screen of the wireless terminal, corresponding to the transmitted message. In one embodiment, the terminal is configured to have two such keys or menu items positioned on the wireless terminal so as to be selected by the wireless terminal user without removing the terminal from the user""s ear.